4-H members vie for top dollar in show ring

The 73rd regional 4-H show was held during the Weyburn fair last week, featuring 192 members from nine clubs. | Karen Briere photo

WEYBURN, Sask. — Hours before the midway rides would draw those seeking thrills and candy apples, the barns at the Weyburn fair grounds were bustling with another tradition.

Kids, parents and grandparents were all busy getting ready for day two of the 73rd annual regional 4-H show, held by the Weyburn Agricultural Society in conjunction with the fair.

Show chair Bev Gordon said the event is one of the largest and long running 4-H shows of which she is aware. This year, 192 members from nine clubs participated.

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“We even have some fourth generation 4-Hers,” she said while observing the steer show.

This year, 180 steers, 84 heifers and 24 cow-calf pairs were entered in the three-day event.

Ten-year-old Corin Acton from the Pangman-Ogema club carefully attended to Deuce, his red Simmental steer, as he waited for their class.

“It’s my fourth year but first year as a junior,” he said while brushing the steer three hours before he was ex-pected in the ring.

Deuce was the second heaviest steer entered and, therefore, in the last class of the show.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Dylan Grieve of the Fillmore-Francis club has graduated from high school and thought this show might be his last, depending on time commitments as he heads off for post-secondary education and work.

However, he said showing 4-H cattle has been a big and important part of his life.

“I like the people in the cattle industry,” he said while giving his Charolais steer a touch-up.

A supportive full house watched the events judged by Peter Boake of Alix, Alta.

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Gordon said the success of Weyburn’s show is a testament to the volunteers who helped organize it, the club leaders and alumni.

The Weyburn show has long been recognized as one of the best, she said, and that was driven home last year when Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair came calling.

“They asked for advice on how we organize our show, because it runs so well,” she said.

In the steer show, Taylor Wolter of the Radville beef club exhibited the grand champion, an Angus, this year. Great Plains Ford later bought it for $5.50 per pound.

The reserve champion steer was a Maine cross shown by cloverbud exhibitor Presley Schmidt of the Fillmore-Francis club and sold for $4.50 per lb. to Parrish and Heimbecker.

The average sale price for 180 head was $3.46 per lb.

Kohen Kaufmann from the Radville club showed the champion heifer, while Christin Dixon of Arcola-Kisbey club had the reserve.

In the two-year-old class, Mason Beck of the Milestone club had the champion and Daniel Fellner of Weyburn showed the reserve.

And in the three-year-old class, Carson Liebreich from Radville and Owen Ashworth from the Lomond club showed the champion and reserve, respectively.

Both two-year-olds stood as the grand and reserve female champions.

Fellner also took home the breeders herd award for his three projects.